High and low water alarm for steam-boilers



J. MAGPARLANE.

HIGH AND LOW WATER ALARM FOR STEAM BOILERS.

(No Model.)

No. 431.271. Patented July 1, 1890.,

qlilllll UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'JAMES MACFARLANE, on MALDEN, M ssAonUsE'rTs.

HIGH AND LOW WATER ALARM .FOR STEAM-BOILERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,271, dated July 1, 1890- Application filed March 5, 1890. Serial No. 342,765. (No model.)

\Vater Alarms t'or Steam-Boilers; and I do' declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of his specification.

Figure l is a f ront elevation, partially in section, and Fig. 2 a side View, of a water-gage of ordinary construction, provided with my invention. Fig. 3 is a front view of the frame W, showing the slide X in a raised position.

My invention consists in providing the glass tube of a water-gage, such as are in common use, with an auxiliary or branch tube connected thereto and arranged to stand vertically, or about so, and parallel to the main glass tube, so that the water in both tubes will stand at the same level with that in the boiler, and in said branch tube is arranged a float adapted to rise and fall with the water, a rod attached to said float extending up through the cap, which closes the top of said branch tube, and projecting from the upper part of said rod areprongs adapted to operate with the poles of two electric circuits for the purpose of sounding two bells in each circuit, one bell of each circuit being located in the boiler-room, the other bell in each of the said circuit-s being in the oflice of the works, theobject of such arrangement being to indicate siin ultaneouslyin the boiler-room and in the said office when the water in the boiler is too high or too low, as the case may be.

In the drawings, A denotes the uprightglass tube of a water-gage, which communicates at its ends with the water and steam of the boiler through elbows B and O. The

passages in said elbows which communicate with the boiler are closed by plugs D and E, which connect with the elbows by screws and are operated by handles or wheels 11 I in the usual manner.

In carrying out myiiiveiitioii I provide the tube A with an auxiliary or branch tube K, which may be integral therewith or may be united thereto by a connection, the longer portion of said tube being parallel to the tube A, and near its top it is supported by a band or connection L, secured to it and to the tube A. Within the tube K is arranged a float M, which rests on the water therein and is raised and lowered by the rise and fall of the water in the boiler, the water in said tube standing on a level with that in the boiler. A rod N of small diameter extends from the float upward through the cap 0, which closes" the mouth of the tube K, said rod being provided with prongs P and Q, the prong P operating with the poles a Z) of the circuit R, which conmeets the bells Y and Z, indicating high water, and theprong Q operates with the poles c d of the circuit S, which connects the bells A and B, indicating low water.

T represents the battery.

The poles at b and c (l are constructed 0t thin flexible metal and are fixed to and pro ect from an insulator c, supported by an arn f, secured to the upper elbow B, or the said insulator may be secured directly to the boiler. A t-ri-arined lever U, made of insulating material and fulcrunied to said insulator c, is so arranged with the poles a h and e (Z of the two circuits that it can be operated to force said poles apart and break the closed circuit when it is desired to stop the ringing of the bells 0t either circuit after the alarm has been given. A spring V, connected to one of the arms of said lever and to the boiler, operates to keep the wedge-shaped ends 0 and p of the sa d lever from entering between the polesof the circuits. A cord or wire .9, connected to the arm not said lever U, is provided at its lower end with a ring 23.

Fixed to the boiler-front or arranged in any convenient place in the boiler-room is a frame W, in which is arranged a slide X, provided with a headed stud u.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings the prong P of the float-rod is shown as nearly against the pole I), and we will suppose the water in the boiler to be rising. As the said prong ascends,it will move the end of pole b upward against the pole at and close the circuit R; hence the high- Water bells Y and Z will sound an alarm. The bell Y we will suppose to be located in the boiler-room and the bell Z in the'oiiicc. Should the attendant in charge of the boiler desire to stop the ringing of the bells before the water in the boiler subsides enough to cause the breaking of said circuit, he seizes the ring i and depresses it, and at the same time raising the slide X, passes the said ring over the stud a in the slide, which holds the said slide raised and exposes to view the word danger. In depressing the ringtthe wedge-shaped end 1) of the lever U will enter between the poles a and b and force them apart, thus breaking the circuit R and stop ping the alarm; but the slide X cannotbe set free from the ring if to cover the word danger without the ringing of the bells Y andZ until the water in the boiler has lowered sufficiently to depress the float and its prong P enough to allow 0f the separation of the pole i) from the pole a. In case of low waterin the boiler the prong Q of the fioat-rod N depresses the pole 0 into contact with the pole (Z, which closes the circuitSand rings thelow-waterbells A and B, and the attendant has recourse to the slide X, as before, if he wishes to stop the sounding of the alarm before the water rises in the boiler sufficient to break the said circuit; but either the said bells must ring or the word danger be exposed to view until the water in the boiler rises enough to lift the float and carry its prong Q upward and allow the pole c to move away from the pole (Z and break said circuit.

The object in providing each circuit with two bells is to make sure that some one besides the attendant in the boiler-room shallbe made aware of the fact that danger exists which requires immediate attention, and in case the bell sounding an alarm in the oflice ceases to ring shortly after the alarm is given it will show to those in the oflice that some onein tho boiler-room is apprised of the danger and is attending to the matter; but should the bell in the office continue to ring some one in said office would investigate to ascertain why the matter was not receiving attention. Thus it will be seen that by my improvement additional protection against accidents caused by too high or too low water in the boiler will result.

Vhat I claim is l. The water-gage tube provided with the branch tube, the float arranged in the latter, and the rod fixed to said float, provided with prongs and adapted to slidein the cap of the branch tube, as explained,combined with the poles of the electric circuits arranged with said prongs, essentially as represented.

2. The combination of the electric circuits R and S, having one or more bells in each, the poles of said circuits formed of flexible metal springs, arranged as shown, the insulator sup porting said poles, the tri-armed lever fulcruined to said insulatorand having to two of its arms wedge-shaped ends, the spring connected to said lever, the cord or wire connected thereto, the frame W, and the slide X, provided with headed stud adapted to. slide in said frame, with the water-gage provided with the branch tube K, cap 0, float M, and rod N, fixed thereto, and provided with prongs to operate with the poles of the said circuits, all substantially as explained.

In testimony whereofI ai'flx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES MACFARLANE.

\Vitnesses:

S. N. PIPER, WM. ll. PRESTON. 

